A Cambridgeshire-based resource centre is celebrating after winning the prestigious Project of the Year award at the East Anglia Clean & Green Awards 2025. Re-Imagine Resource Centre C.I.C., located in Witchford, was recognised for its innovative approach to waste diversion, community support, and promotion of sustainable practices.
Founded in 2013, Re-Imagine operates as a hub for collecting materials businesses would typically discard, transforming them into valuable resources for the local community. The centre boasts a successful community kitchen and ‘solidarity larder’ which provides fresh, healthy surplus food – sourced from supermarkets and the FareShare network – to families in Ely and surrounding villages.
Responding to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, Re-Imagine recently launched a social supermarket, which has proven to be a vital resource for many local families. This initiative, along with the centre’s broader work, impressed the judging panel who described Re-Imagine as “a vibrant, community-centric project driving sustainability and social support.” They particularly praised the organisation’s “above-and-beyond approach and clear passion in assisting individuals in need through creative initiatives.”
Director of Re-Imagine, Ruth Marley, expressed her delight at the award, stating it “means so much” after twelve years of dedicated work. “We’ve been at this for 12 years, trying to get businesses on board,” she said. The centre now has an impressive 4,000 members and collaborates with 144 businesses, continually seeking to connect them with groups who can benefit from their resources.
Marley emphasised the importance of viewing businesses through a sustainability lens. “It’s really important that we’re looking at businesses through a sustainability lens,” she added. “How do we use those resources? We need to think about that a lot more than we ever have.”
The East Anglia Clean & Green Awards also recognised other innovative projects. Opergy Group – focusing on net-zero solutions, SaxonAir – pioneering sustainable aviation with its solar-powered aircraft port and The Waveney, Lower Yare & Lothingland Internal Drainage Board – for their work balancing innovation and sustainability in flood management were also recognised. The awards were sponsored by Stowen Group, a project management firm with a growing focus on renewable energy.
